2018
2018
READING JOHN 2018
SEQUENCE • Picturing the Temple • Reading John 2:13-25 • Layout of the reading • 7 “issues” to bear in mind when reading • Commentary • Why here in John’s Gospel? • A prayer
JOHN 2:13-25 John 2:13 Now the Jewish feast of days I will raise it up again.” 20 Then the Passover was near, so Jesus went up to Jewish leaders said to him, “This temple has Jerusalem. been under construction for forty-six years, and are you going to raise it up in three John 2:14 He found in the temple courts days?” 21 But Jesus was speaking about those who were selling oxen and sheep and the temple of his body. 22 So after he was doves, and the money changers sitting at raised from the dead, his disciples tables. 15 So he made a whip of cords and remembered that he had said this, and they drove them all out of the temple courts, believed the scripture and the saying that with the sheep and the oxen. He scattered Jesus had spoken. the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who John 2:23 Now while Jesus was in sold the doves he said, “Take these things Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover, many away from here! Do not make my Father’s people believed in his name because they house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples saw the miraculous signs he was doing. 24 remembered that it was written, “ Zeal for But Jesus would not entrust himself to your house will devour me .” them, because he knew all people. 25 He did not need anyone to testify about man, John 2:18 So then the Jewish leaders for he knew what was in man. responded, “What sign can you show us, since you are doing these things?” 19 Jesus replied, “Destroy this temple and in three
LAYOUT OF THE READING 1. v.13 Frame 2. vv. 14-17 Cleansing of the Temple vv. 14-15 Jesus’ action v. 16 Jesus’ saying v. 17 The disciples remember (a word of Scripture) 3. vv. 18-22 Question about authority v. 18 Reaction of the Jews v. 19 Enigmatic saying of Jesus v. 20 Misunderstanding of the Jews v. 21 Comment by the Evangelist v. 22 Memory of the disciples 4. vv.23-25 Concluding verses Passover (vv. 13 and 23); signs (vv. 11, 18 and 23); “faith” or “trust” (vv. 11, 23-24).
1. PASSOVER • John has 3 Passovers and 5 visits to Jerusalem. • From John 1:29 to 19:31-37, the “lens” of Passover is immensely significant in this Gospel (cf. 1 Cor 5:7). • Already in our text, Jesus’ death and resurrection are viewed unto the heading of the Passover.
2. TEMPLE • All ancient peoples offered sacrifices of various kinds and the Israelites were no exception. The clearest instruction is in the Book of Exodus • ‘You must make for me an altar made of earth, and you will sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be honoured I will come to you and I will bless you. If you make me an altar of stone, you must not build it of stones shaped with tools, for if you use your tool on it you have defiled it. (Exod 20:24–25) • Hieron : the entire temple complex (John 2:14-15; 5:14; 7:14, 28; 8:2, 20, 59; 10:23; 11:56; 18:20) • Naos : the temple building as such (x3 in John 2:19-21); in 1 Cor 3:16-17 (naos = body)
3. TEMPLE DESTRUCTION • Jesus aligned himself with John the Baptist, a critic of the Temple “system”. • The destruction of the Temple is foreseen in Mark 13 (the “Little Apocalypse”). • In Jewish tradition the date for the destruction is 9 Tisha B’Av in ad 70; also the date of the destruction also of the First Temple (587 bc) and the final victory over Bar Kokhba’s revolt (ad 135). • The destruction deprived Judaism of the Temple, the sacrificial cult and the priesthood and it obliged a reorganisation of Judaism, often associated with rabbis at Jamnia. • The Christian sect also had to rethink, as we can see from Paul, the Synoptic Gospels, Hebrews, Apocalypse and John’s Gospel.
4. WORSHIP IN JOHN 1-4 • For worship, see John 1:18; 2:21; 3:3; 4:19-26. Jesus’ death (Ps 69) and resurrection (v. 22) are also in the mind of the writer at this point. • The later “remembering” is the task of the Advocate/Paraclete (John 14:26). • NB worship “in spirit and in truth”. • Jesus is now the “locus” of Christian worship.
5. PROPHETIC GESTURES • OT widely found: Isaiah gives symbolic names to his children (Is 7:3; 8:14); Jeremiah: the waist cloth hidden by the Euphrates (Jer 13:1-11); Ezekiel makes a model of Jerusalem (Ez 4:1-3). • NT also widely found: the calling of the Twelve, open table- fellowship, the entry into Jerusalem, the Temple Action, the Last Supper. • Cf. the prophecy of Agabus (Acts 21:10-14) for a late example. • Temple action: most likely in the last week of Jesus’ life, following the entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. • In this Gospel, it is remarkably vigorous, not to say violent.
6. TEMPLE SAYING • Some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands and in three days build another not made with hands .’” (Mark 14:57–58 = Mt 26:61; Mk 15:29 = Mt 27:40; cf. Acts 6:41). • Jesus replied, “ Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.” (John 2:19) • But now Christ has come as the high priest of the good things to come. He passed through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands , that is, not of this creation, and he entered once for all into the most holy place not by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood, and so he himself secured eternal redemption. (Heb 9:11–12)
7. AMBIGUITY OF SIGNS • Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, you are looking for me not because you saw miraculous signs, but because you ate all the loaves of bread you wanted. (John 6:26) • Signs: John 2:11, 18, 23; 3:2; 4:48, 54; 6:2, 14, 26, 30; 7:31; 9:16; 10:41; 11:47; 12:18, 37; 20:30. • Now while Jesus was in Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover, many people believed (e pist eusan) in his name because they saw the miraculous signs he was doing. But Jesus would not entrust (e pist euen) himself to them, because he knew all people. (John 2:23–24) • To believe ( pist eu ō ): 98 (!) occurrences, always as a verb. The noun faith never occurs. The adjective appears in 20:27 ( pist os and a pist os)
COMMENTARY John 2:13 Now the Jewish feast of replied, “Destroy this temple ( naos ) and in Passover was near, so Jesus went up to three days I will raise it up again.” 20 Then Jerusalem . the Jewish leaders said to him, “This temple ( naos ) has been under construction for forty- John 2:14 He found in the temple courts six years, and are you going to raise it up in ( hieron ) those who were selling oxen and three days?” 21 But Jesus was speaking sheep and doves, and the money changers about the temple ( naos ) of his body . 22 So sitting at tables. 15 So he made a whip of after he was raised from the dead , his cords and drove them all out of the temple disciples remembered that he had said this, courts ( hieron ), with the sheep and the and they believed the scripture and the oxen. He scattered the coins of the money saying that Jesus had spoken. changers and overturned their tables. John 2:23 Now while Jesus was in 16 To those who sold the doves he said, Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover , “Take these things away from here! Do not many people believed in his name because make my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17 they saw the miraculous signs he was doing. His disciples remembered that it was 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to written, “ Zeal for your house will devour me .” them, because he knew all people. 25 He did not need anyone to testify about man, John 2:18 So then the Jewish leaders for he knew what was in man. responded, “What sign can you show us, since you are doing these things?” 19 Jesus
WHY HERE IN JOHN’S GOSPEL? • After the echo of Jacob’s Ladder • And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” (John 1:51) • After the Wedding feast of Cana (marriage covenant: John 2:1-11) • Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)
WHY HERE IN JOHN’S GOSPEL? • Before Nicodemus (rebirth: John 3:1-15) • Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) • Before John the Baptist (faith: John 3:16-36) • The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. (John 3:36) • Before the Woman at the well (true worship: John 4:1-42) • But a time is coming—and now is here–when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23–24)
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